Axle-making machine



(No Model.)

W. FLETCHER, Jr.' AXLB MAKING MAHINE.

q Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

- @Mom/w11* me NAnoNAL umass/Puma commun'.

WILLIAM FLETCHER, JR., OF ELIZABETHTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

AXLE-NIAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,820, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed July IZ, 1893. Serial No. 480.264. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FLETCHER, .I r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabethtown, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Axle- Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in axle making machines, or machines constructed and adapted to operate for the purpose of manufacturing axles out of merchant bars of steel or iron or such other crude stock as may be adapted for the purpose, the object of the invention being to simplify and perfect machinery for the purpose indicated in order that the work may be done more effectively and rapidly and vwith the expenditure of as little power as possible, so that economy of power may be achieved as well as economy in the use of material without detracting from the perfection of the product, and the invention therefore consists essentially in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts and in numerous details thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter described and then more particularly pointed out in the ensuing claims.

In the annexed drawings illustrating my invention: Figure l is a side elevation of my improved axle making machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, on the line a: 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial top plan view of the movable platen or forming table. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the circular die.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the different figures of the drawings. v

C designates the main horizontal portion of the frame of the machine, which is solid and strong and is firmly supported upon the base D. In the base D is journaled a horizontal driving shaft A, provided with a pulley a, to which a belt or band may be applied, running from some suitable source of power for the purpose of driving the shaft-A. On said shaft A at a point about midway transversely of the base D, is a pinion Z9.

B denotes a gear wheel mounted on a shaft B', which is supported in bearings on the base D. The pinion b engageswithand drives the gear wheel B. This is a preferable mechanism for actuating the machine,but I do not wish to be conned to it because the power or means of propulsion may be varied within wide limits and therefore I reserve the liberty of employing the shaft A and the gearing which I have described or of substituting in lieu thereof any other suitable power such as hydraulic, pneumatic, or any other power.

E indicates an elongated horizontal platen or forming table having an endwise travel. This-platen E is provided on its under side along a central longitudinal line, with a toothed rack e, which is engaged by the teeth of the gear wheel B. The platen is also provided on its under side with longitudinal ribs e e located on each side of the central rack e, which ribs engage and slide within the grooved horizontal ways c in the frame work C. The upper side of the platen E is provided near each edge With toothed racks E E', as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Between these racks E is a central longitudinal rectangular rib E3, on each side of which are the forming dies, or die surfaces E2 E2, which dies E2 have their top surfaces inclined from the central points of their length, toward each end, as is clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the highest points of these dies E2 being therefore at the center points of their length, from which points they slope uniformly toward each end. Between the dies E2 and the racks E are longitudinal grooves E4, see Figs. 2 and 3.

Mounted above the platen Eis a Wheel roll or circular die G, of peculiar construction. This circular vdie G is provided with trunnions or journals g which are supported in bearings in the upper ends of the pedestals G G which are secured in an upright position upon the frame C. The wheel or die G -is provided on each peripheral edge with a series of teeth F, which engage the parallel racks E E on the platen. The circular die is provided with a central peripheral groove h which receives the rectangular rib E3 of the platen E. The circular die also has the cir-v cular rolling, crushing or forming surfaces H H on each side of the central groove h. These forming surfaces H H are directly opposite to the aforesaid forming dies E2 E2 and they are eccentric to the axis of revolution of the circular die G, as will be seen by observing the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thus it will be IOC- seen that the eccentric dies H operate in conjunction with the inclined dies E2 to form or shape a blank which may be placed between them. The circular die G is furthermore provided with two parallel peripheral liaiiges I I located between the teeth F F and the dies II II, which flanges engage the grooves E4 in the upper face of the platen E. The inside of these forming anges I I are cani shaped, as shown iii Fig. 4, that is to say, they are not the saine distance from a central line passing around the wheel roll or cr cular die G, so that therefore they have a reciprocating motion to the vertical line and the die consequently does not run true but has a wabbling motion.

It will be clearly understood that when the machine has been set in motion by actuating the drive shaft A, or by the application of any other suitable driving mechanism, the gear B will move thc platen E endwise and the engagement thereof with the wheel die G will rotate it so that there will be a conjoint operation of the die surfaces on the platen E and the wheel G, and if a blank of metal of suitable size and shape be placed between the dies, the result of such conjoint operation of said dies will be to shape the blank into the required form to produce the axle.

Ey means of the several shapes of dies which I have herein specifically described, and as a result of the motion of these several dies and other parts in connection with each otheraas already explained, I can produce what is commonly called or known as a fan tailed axle. I do not intend however that this machine shall be limited to the production of simply this special and single form of axle, but the dies maybe so varied and shaped that they may conform to and be able to produce other shapes of axles and axles of various sizes and styles. The machine as herein shown is adapted for the simultaneous production of two axles. It may however be so arranged as to make one or several at a single operation, operating upon one or several blanks and this can be accomplished by decreasing o increasing the number of forming dies in the platen or forming table and in the wheel roll or circular die.

llie position of the several parts of the machine as shown in the drawings, is that which said parts will occupy or assume relatively to each other when the axle blank has passed halfway through the machine. When the axle blank is first inserted in its place in the machine, the platen will be moved farther to the right than it is shown in the drawings. As the wheel die rotates, the platen will be moved endwise toward the left until after said wheel die has made one half of the revolution and brought its fiat section, which is seen at J, said section being a fiat portion of the surface of the circular die, to a point in a horizontal position below the trunnions instead of above it as it is shown in the drawings, then while the parts of the machine are in this position, the

axle blanks are again put into place and'the platen or forming table is moved back in a reverse direction from what it moved before, during which movement the circular die will make another revolution and then the resulting axle or axles will be of the required shape and can be withdrawn from the machine and anotherblan k orblanks from which other axles are to be formed, inserted iiito their place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the horizontal platen E, provided on its under side with the toothed rack e and the longitudinal ribs e c', the framework C having horizontal ways c on which said ribs slide, the toothed racks E E on the upper side of platen E and the central rectangular rib E3, together with theforniing dies E2 E2, and the circular' die G, havingjournals g supported in bearings in the pedestals G G', said die G being provided on each peripheral edge with a seiies of teeth F, engaging the racks E' and having also the central groove 7L and the forming surfaces II, which surfaces II are directly opposite to the forming dies E2, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the horizontal frame C, having ways c, the elongated platen E having on its under side the toothed rack c, and the longitudinal ribs e and on its upper side the toothed racks E E and central rectangular rib E3, together with the forming dies E, which dies have their top surfaces inclined from the central points of their length toward each end and the wheel die G, having trunnions or journals g and provided on each peripheral edge with a series of teeth F which engage the racks E and provided also with the central groove h, which receives the rectangular rib E3, and the forming surfaces I-l opposite to the forming dies E2, said forming surfaces being eccentric to the axis of revolution of the die G and die G having also peripheral flanges I engaging grooves in the upper face of the platen E,the inside of which flanges are cam-shaped, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the elongated platen having on its under side a toothed rack and longitudinal ribs and on its upper side the toothed racks E', together with forming dies E2 which dies have their top surfaces inclined from the central point of their length toward each end and the wheel die provided on each peripheral edge with a series of teeth that engage the racks E and provided also with the forming surfaces I-I, said forming surfaces being eccentric to the axis of revolution of the die and said die having also peripheral flanges I, the insides of which are camshaped, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FLETCHER, JR.

Vtlitnesses:

JN0. I-l. EPLER, JOHN M. FERGUSER.

IIC 

